I have a Raging Judge Magnum 513 revolver.
I cannot express how happy I am with this gun.
I have tried a variety of ammunition through it, most of what you see online (negative) is based upon OLD information.
Since the original Judge release, a variety of 410 and 45 long colt ammunition has been designed JUST for the handgun series.
For a fantastic informational video, search YouTube for "judging the judge" or the User "shootingthebull410".
Bird shot, is for the birds, and not literally, use only in shotguns, in fact, that goes for most 410 ammunition.
The shorter barrel (measured as a shotgun barrel, is 6.5+3 for the cylinder makes it a 9.5 inch shotgun, and ratings on shells give info on 18" barrels.
So you won't get quite the fps listed on the ammo box (except for the ammunition specifically designed for use in the judges/governor).
Like the PDX1, etc.
If you are going to use the 410 shells, stick to 00 and 000 buckshot.
The pellets are large, and therefore 'bounce' around less in the barrel(fill/fit the barrel better) and will travel straighter, with less spread.
The smaller the pellets, the more spread you will get, unlike with the 18" 410 shotgun, which will keep a tighter grouping.
45 long colts, they sound and feel like a cap gun. It is amazing the lack of recoil compared to others. I can shoot really close groupings with them.
Lehigh maximum expansion rounds are expensive, but they pack a hit, the person I mentioned before did a video on it too, priceless.
410 shells are a little louder, I guess they sound "normal", and have a little kick, not much, though some 3" ones can pack a small whollop.
Stick to the larger pellet shells and slugs if using for self defence or game.
If using for snakes, or close up shooting of game, then you can use any game loads you want.
Haven't gotten to use it for skeet ... Yet...
454 Casull.
The smile maker.
The watermelon slushie maker.
Watermelon cream... For your coffee?
There are many different loads of this shell, but I use the full loads, 1900 fps ones.
It kicks pretty good, but I still haven't figured out what all these people are flinching about in videos...
Shaking their hands "owchie, that hurt"... Whatever.. Wusses ...
I've shot 40 rounds in one session (expensive, about $1.50 a round) but it was SO worth it.
Accurate, if you can hold onto it properly, takes a few shots, but you'll find your sweet spot.
It will put a smile on your face, silence any gun range "what the hell was THAT !?!?" you'll hear often.. Then other will gradually start shooting again, or you will draw a crowd of curious onlookers.
I have offered for others to shoot it, but nobody has had the cahones to do it.
(which is fine by me, at $1.50 a round)
The video that ShootingTheBull410 has of the 45 acp +p round versus the 454 is amazing.
It picks up the 18 pound block of gel, shoves the one behind it off the screen, splits the table from it's frame, and expands the gel block to almost twice it's size just from the impact.
I would NOT use the 454 for self defense.. Unless in a wooded area, or if they were lined up 10 deep, and I wanted a "strike!".
I would suggest the Lehigh maximum expansion 45 long colt for self defense.
The 410 buckshot, 00 and 000, I would not use for self defense outside of the house, though you could still get wall penetration, so it's still an iffy one.
Personally, I love it, the variety of ammunition choices, some are for fun, others are for serious down to seriousness of ALL seriousness applications.
Reliability, I haven't had it long enuf to wear it out.
I know of a few people that have had Taurus guns, only one had an issue, and Taurus fixed it with no problems since. (One of the older semi autos).
Again though, a lot of what you hear is repetition of old data (see the "judging the Judge" video, part one.
Part two is the "as a shotgun" application.
This ShootingTheBull410 guy, he is very informative, tests things from many angles, and many "reviewers" could learn a thing or twenty from him about reviewing something. aND he actually replies to your questions if you have any.
It IS a heavy gun, with only 6 shots.
BUT, if you still need to... You can... Literally... Pistol whip something with it... 5 pounds of metal HAS to hurt.
Hopefully, this answers some of your questions, and gets you in the right direction.
There is also a video somewhere, a guy is shooting a target at 200 yards with it.
That has GOT to take a steady hand.